


After-school Detention

by FemaleSpock



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Bickering, Fluff, Gay Character, Hux Has No Chill, M/M, Take Your Fandom to Work Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:50:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6957241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemaleSpock/pseuds/FemaleSpock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux hates his fellow trainee-teacher, Kylo Ren, and the way that he seems to get on so naturally with all the pupils. But when they are notified that an observer is coming in to school to watch their lessons, they're forced to work together and find that they have more in common than they think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	After-school Detention

The hour before registration started was always Hux’s favourite at the day. He’d ensure that he got to school as early as possible so that he could use the Humanities staffroom in total peace and quiet, photocopying all his resources and putting them in neat piles so that he was all prepared for the day’s teaching ahead. It always calmed his nerves, gave him a sense of control over the way that the day’s lessons would unfold. If he was prepared, he could deal with anything.

 

Of course, the fact that Kylo Ren, fellow-trainee, was entirely absent was also a bonus. The man seemed to make it his mission to sweep in as late as possible and Hux honestly had no idea how he actually managed to get anything organised on time. It was highly unusual for two trainee teachers of the same subject to be placed in a school together but Kylo had fallen out with his previous mentor and he'd been sent to First Order High halfway through the term. They even had to share a mentor - Mr. Snoke - which really struck Hux as unfair. Why should he have to compete with Kylo for time and resources, when it was his fault that he was such a brat that he had to move school?

 

The worst thing was that Kylo had tried to befriend him at the start, taking any opportunity to blather on and on about nothing, lounging around on the sofa, whilst Hux was at the computer desk, actually trying to keep on top of the mountain of paperwork teacher training required. He had made it clear that such overtures were unwelcome but Kylo hadn’t left him alone like he’d hoped – no, he’d simply transformed his attentions into spiteful boasts about how well all his lessons were going.

 

Hux almost wished that he had tried to be friends with him because he was honestly insufferable. That he was clearly Mr. Snoke's favourite only seemed to make him more smug. 

 

* * *

 

 

“Right, everyone, turn to page 56 in your textbook,” said Hux. It was the first lesson of the day – Year 8s – and one of his least favourite classes. Half of the year group were on report and they had a tendency to fling them at his desk and then proceed to act exactly in the way the reports warned against.

 

A couple of students dutifully opened their books. The rest continued to talk. Someone threw a rubber across the room.

 

“Turn to page 56 and stop talking!” Hux boomed out.

 

There was slightly more movement in the class as more learners reluctantly flipped the books open. 

 

“What page is it?” asked one boy, turning to his friend.

 

“Page 16,” his friend replied.

 

“ _Page 56,”_ Hux corrected. "I've said it twice already."

 

He could already tell it was going to be a long day.

 

* * *

 

 

"Mr Hux, what's your first name?" a girl droned, peering at the name badge that simply read: 'Mr. B. Hux, trainee History teacher.'

 

"I'm not telling you, so get on with your work," said Hux, pointing to the textbook.

 

"If we get it right, will you tell us?" piped up another boy. 

 

Hux didn’t even have the chance to answer before he started getting bombarded with guesses from all sides.

 

"Is it Bob?"

 

"Bobby?"

 

"Billy?"

 

"What about Barbie?" one boy called out and everyone laughed. 

 

"Get on with your work!" he shouted and the teacher in charge of the class looked up briefly from his pile of marking. In theory, the teachers were meant to give feedback on every lesson but in reality, unless it was a formal observation, they just tended to sit in the back and get on with their own paperwork.

 

That suited Hux fine but sometimes he’d rather they weren’t there at all. At least that way, his failures wouldn’t be witnessed by anyone besides the kids.

 

"I think we should call him Barbie from now on!"

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Barbie,” a boy that Hux didn’t even teach called out in the hallway, sniggering to his mates.

 

“You should have just told them your name,” said Kylo, in a sing-song voice as he walked past.

 

“You’re one to talk. Kylo’s not even a real name,” he snapped.

 

“You know, you’ve not told me your name either. Guess I might have to have to call you Barbie too!”

 

Kylo strode off before Hux had the chance to object.

 

* * *

 

 

Hux wandered around the classroom checking pupils’ work, hovering over their shoulders to ensure that they were answering the questions properly and in full sentences.

 

He stopped as he came to Layla’s desk. Her book wasn’t even open and she had a loom band in her hand, ready to flick at someone.

 

“You’ve been in this class for twenty minutes and you have yet to even write the title!” he exploded. “And throw that loom band in the bin. You know that they are banned in school!”

 

“Are you a virgin, sir?” she asked, ignoring the instruction entirely.

 

Colour rose to his cheeks – the nerve of this pupil! “That is a completely inappropriate thing to say-”

 

“Do you use dildos?” she continued, cutting across him, a grin on her face.

 

Hux turned away, allowing himself to gain some composure. He rushed over to the computer. “I’m putting this on the system, young lady!”

 

“But sir, they’ll put me back on report again!” she whined. "My mum's going to go mental."

 

“You should have thought about that before you said it,” he said.

 

“Aw, that’s well tight!” said the girl’s best friend.

 

Hux concealed a smile as he typed up the complaint and sent it in.

 

* * *

 

 

“So, I was looking through the complaint forms for my tutor group and I noticed that Layla has been giving you some trouble,” said Kylo, grinning, as he entered the Humanities staffroom. "Something about innapropriate comments."

 

Hux wanted to smack himself. He had completely forgotten that she was in Kylo’s tutor group. His face burned at the thought of Kylo reading it.

 

“One of the boys in my form asked me to Netflix and chill with him,” said Kylo, nodding sagely, as though it were no big deal. “I said no of course.”

 

Hux sputtered. “The arrogance of these kids!”

 

Kylo shrugged. “I’m surprised they’re asking you that given the rumours.”

 

Hux sighed. He didn’t want to prolong this conversation any more than necessary but he just had to know. “What rumours?”

 

“About you and Ms. Phasma. Some kids in 7B were telling me what a cute couple the two of you made,” said Kylo and he looked oddly worried.

 

Hux snorted. The P.E. teacher was one his more tolerable colleagues at the school but they were hardly even friends - let alone, involved. “Apparently none of these kids have any gaydar whatsoever.”

 

Kylo stared at him for a minute and Hux wondered if he hadn’t just made a huge mistake. He hadn’t hidden his sexuality in years, hadn’t felt ashamed of who he was, but the school environment had kind of forced him back into the closet. It was hard enough to control the classes as it was and he had heard so many homophobic comments thrown around, that he expected that being open about it would probably not endear him to any them. He wasn't looking for their approval; he just wanted to get through his training year and pass. 

 

“No, apparently not. I’ve been asked if I have a girlfriend countless times,” said Kylo, combing a hand through his lush dark locks.

 

It took Hux a moment to process the meaning of Kylo’s words and by the time he had, Kylo was half-way out the door.

 

“I just have one question – _are_ you a virgin?” Kylo said before letting the door swing shut behind him.

 

Rage boiled up within Hux. Well. He might have one more thing in common with Kylo than he thought but that didn’t make him any more tolerable.

 

* * *

 

 

“You need to make your lessons more exciting,” said Mr. Snoke, barely looking up from his pile of paperwork.

 

It was a common theme in these meetings, much to Hux’s general annoyance.

 

“But the history of the Norman Invasion is inherently interesting,” Hux protested, earning himself a sharp look from Mr. Snoke. He tended not to like it when Hux challenged his advice.

 

“You rely on textbooks and questions too much – it bores the learners and then they misbehave because they find it too difficult. You have a powerful voice and good habits of following through disciplinary procedure but these problems wouldn’t occur nearly so often if you just planned some more interesting activities.” Snoke paused. “Take Kylo for instance. He varies his activities - he doesn’t stick to his lessons plans 100% and it works. He makes sure his starters get them hooked into the lesson. You should ask him to share some ideas.”

 

Hux couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do less.

 

* * *

 

 

Hux tried not to panic as the e-mail came through that there was to be a visit from the university to observe and grade a lesson. They had chosen one of his worst classes. Of course.

 

Another moment and he received a message from Snoke.

 

‘They’re going to want to see something really exciting. You need to make sure that you are assessing all the learners throughout the lesson and that you get them interested,’ it cautioned.

 

The problem was, Hux had no idea how to do that. He was good at History – he’d gotten Firsts in all of his university essays - and he was good at preparing, at getting his paperwork off on time. He was good at projecting his voice, at being intimidating when he needed to be. But the whole notion of being an entertainer as well as a teacher was entirely alien to him.

 

He planned all his lessons at least a week in advance, so, in theory, he had a plan for the observed lesson. The trouble was, it was just an essay task on life in a Medieval village- definitely not something that would thrill the pupils.

 

He couldn’t believe he was probably going to fail just because he wasn’t some class clown that was best friends with all the kids.

 

He marched into the Humanities staffroom and found Kylo looking about as hopeless as he felt, his head resting on his knees.

 

Hux knew better than to ask but he found himself sitting beside Kylo anyway. “What’s the matter?” He sounded suspicious, he knew, but it was the only way he could ask without it sounding like he _cared_ at all.

 

“She’s going to look at our files when she comes,” mumbled Kylo, without lifting his head.

 

Hux blinked in surprise. “Well, of course they are.”

 

Kylo looked up and mutely passed Hux his lever-arch file. Hux opened the file and about three hundred loose sheets of paper fell out, all in a jumble.

 

“You haven’t updated your file since the second week…” Hux said, horrified as the realisation dawned on him. “This is all in random order.”

 

Kylo nodded. “I’m screwed. I’m so screwed. I hate paperwork. What the hell does paperwork have to do with being a good teacher anyway?” He kicked the sheets of paper lining the floor, sending them flying across the room. He picked some up and threw them back down again, crumpling the edges as he did. “Fuck!”

 

“Well that’s not going to help anything,” said Hux.

 

“I’m going to get failed because I can’t arrange dead trees in a suitably pleasing way! How do you expect me to react? This whole thing is just a fucking box-ticking exercise.”

 

Hux sighed, regretting the words even before he spoke them. “You’re not going to fail.”

 

Kylo jutted his hand out to motion at the mess of paper. “I think it’s pretty clear I’m going fail.”

 

“No, you’re not. I’m going to organise your file for you.”

 

Kylo just looked at him in stunned silence for a while.

 

“Pick all those papers up and put them on the sofa,” commanded Hux.

 

“Why would you do that for me?” said Kylo, doe-eyed. “You don’t even like me.”

 

Hux looked away. “I’m not doing it for you. This is an exchange. You’re going to plan my starter and plenary for me – they seem to like whatever bullshit you come up with, so I want you to plan mine for the observation. Does that seem like a fair deal?”

 

Kylo nodded.

 

“Right,” Hux pulled out his file and flipped to the draft of the plan for his observation lesson and handed it to Kylo. “Here’s my plan. Think of something ‘exciting’ for me.”

 

“Your file is immaculate,” said Kylo, mesmerised.

 

“That’s what yours is going to look like when I’m done with it.” He stopped and surveyed the mass of crumpled papers. “Well, it’s going to be passable anyway.”

 

“Thanks,” said Kylo.

 

“Don’t thank me,” muttered Hux, feeling his face flush under the intensity of Kylo’s sincere gaze. “Just do what I’ve asked.”

 

“Okay.”

 

It was the most agreeable Hux had ever found him.

 

* * *

 

 

Two hours later and Hux was done. “Everything’s in order. You’re missing some lesson evaluations but I can’t write those for you.”

 

Kylo took the file and flipped through it, marvelling at the neatly organised sections. Some of the paper was still a little rumpled but Hux had done his best to smooth it out. He could actually find things. “Thank you,” he repeated.

 

“I’ve told you not to….” Hux sighed. “Just keep in order from now on. I’m not doing this again.”

 

Kylo threw the file on the sofa and before Hux could protest, he had his arms around Hux.  “Thank you.”

 

Hux allowed himself to relax into the hug. It wasn’t bad, being hugged by Kylo. After a few seconds, they moved back, avoiding eye contact.

 

“Right, so what have you planned for me then?” Hux asked, after searching for something to say for a minute.

 

Kylo reached of a piece of paper, which he flourished in front of Hux’s face.

 

Hux took it and scanned through it, letting out an unintentional groan. “I can’t do this! I’m not an actor. It’s just going to look silly if I come into class pretending to be a Medieval Lord.”

 

“I’ll practice with you,” Kylo offered, immediately. “After school.”

 

“Alright,” said Hux because he needed to pass this observation and _definitely not_ because he had any desire to spend any more time with Kylo.

 

* * *

 

 

“This is stupid,” said Kylo, gritting his teeth.

 

“I’m glad we agree,” said Hux, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

 

“No, I mean you’re being stupid. I’ve heard you talk, so I don’t know why you’re reading all your lines in such a monotone voice! I mean, you’re not even trying!”

 

“I didn’t agree to this to be insulted!” said Hux. There was a pile of marking that needed doing and he was _tired_ and Kylo wasn’t helping in the slightest.

 

“I was giving you a compliment on your voice!” Kylo protested. “Just try it again.”

 

“Fine,” said Hux. Somehow a compliment from Kylo felt worse than an insult.

 

It was going to be a long night.

 

* * *

 

 

Hux got almost no sleep on the day before the observation so he came in extra early to set up his classroom, making sure everything was in place. Not that it would matter, he thought. The lesson was probably going to end in complete disaster.

 

Kylo’s lesson would probably be fine; it would probably get top marks. His one weakness – his lack of organisation – had been covered up, thanks to him. Plus he got to have his observation first, before Hux’s, so he didn’t have the time to build up any nerves. There was no way _he_ was going to fail.

 

The worst part was that Hux didn’t even want him to.

 

* * *

 

 

Hux eyed the observer in the back of the room and looked away, focusing his gaze straight ahead, running through the script silently in his head. He took a breath. This was it.

 

* * *

 

 

Hux walked into the Humanities staffroom in a daze and ran straight into Kylo’s chest.

 

“She said my files were very well organised!” Kylo blurted at the same time that Hux said: “She said she applauded my willingness to put myself out there.”

 

And before Hux knew it, Kylo’s lips were on his, his hands cupping his face. Hux froze for a second, before starting to kiss him back, nipping gently at his bottom lip.

 

“I think we should work together more often,” rasped Hux, when they finally disengaged.

 

Kylo grinned. “I like the sound of that, Bedwyr Hux.”

 

“How did you…”

 

“It was at the top of the observer’s notes. I snuck a look at them when I was circulating the class.” Kylo looked entirely too pleased with himself.

 

“You are so going to pay for this.”

 

Kylo raised an eyebrow.

 

Hux put on a long-suffering sigh. “Detention, Mr. Ren. Detention at my place, tonight, eight o’clock. Don’t be late or there will be consequences.”

 

“Yes, sir!”

 

Hux smiled despite himself. He could definitely get used to this. 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually write this kind of setting-change AU but the idea of take your fandom to work day seemed like fun, so I thought I'd give it a go. Hopefully it wasn't too bad!
> 
> Pretty much all the dialogue from the school-kids is directly quoted from things that kids have said to me. Yes, even the part where Kylo got asked to Netflix and chill. And the part where Hux got asked whether he used dildos. The situation of being shipped with a teacher of the opposite sex whilst actually being super gay is also true to life. *Sigh* They prepared me for bad behaviour and pupils refusing to work but they didn’t prepare me for this. 
> 
> Some of the kids call me ‘Andy’ because they know my first name begins with an A but don’t know what it is. I don’t mind my nickname as much as Hux does though, haha (in fact, I think that my reaction to most of these incidents was more proportionate than Hux’s). 
> 
> Obviously, there are lots of positives to teaching – it’s really great when kids want to learn and show progress and some of them are very sweet – but I’ve focused more on the negatives here for comic effect (also because I can’t really picture Hux getting along with children/teenagers).
> 
> Any comments really are much appreciated :) Also, feel free to ask any questions about the British school system – I have no idea how universal the things I’m writing about are.


End file.
